Antony and Cleopatra

Original Text

Modern Text

Enter CAESAR,
AGRIPPA, and MAECENAS, with his
army, CAESAR reading a letter

CAESAR enters, reading a letter, with
AGRIPPA, MAECENAS, and his
army.

5

CAESAR

He calls me “boy” and chides as he had power

To beat me out of Egypt. My messenger

He hath whipped with rods, dares me to personal combat,

Caesar to Antony. Let the old ruffian know

I have many other ways to die, meantime

Laugh at his challenge.

CAESAR

He calls me “boy” and scolds me as if he had the power to whip me
out of Egypt. He whipped my messenger with rods. He dares me to
personal combat, Caesar against Antony. Let the old ruffian discover
that I have many other ways to die, and in the meantime, we’ll laugh
at his challenge.

10

MAECENAS

Caesar must think

When one so great begins to rage, he’s hunted

Even to falling. Give him no breath, but now

Make boot of his distraction. Never anger

Made good guard for itself.

MAECENAS

Caesar must realize that when a man as powerful as Antony begins
to rage, he has been pursued to the point of collapse. Don’t give
him time to catch his breath. Take advantage of his unreasonable
rage. Anger does not protect the angry well.

15

CAESAR

Let our best
heads

Know that tomorrow the last of many battles

We mean to fight. Within our files there are,

Of those that served Mark Antony but late,

Enough to fetch him in. See it done

And feast the army. We have store to do ’t,

And they have earned the waste. Poor Antony!

CAESAR

Tell our top commanders that I want tomorrow’s battle to be the
last we fight. Our army has recently acquired many of Mark Antony’s
former soldiers—enough to capture him. See that it is done, and
prepare a feast for the soldiers. We have enough supplies for it,
and they’ve earned it. Poor Antony!